Seems so long ago...

when we were able to sit outside with a cold beer watching the Boston Red Sox on TV. I woke up to snow outside my window this morning and it made me miss how much I enjoyed using our porch. This porch sealed the deal for us when we first saw the house. My husband and I couldn't wait to sit out there with our two favorite dogs napping at our feet. Over the summer, my husband came home on two weeks leave from Afghanistan and I surprised him by installing a flat screen TV out on the porch with all his HD channels. I won "Wife of the Year" for that move.

Here are some photos of the porch I took over the summer.

Design:

• White Slipcover Sofa, white parsons coffee table, white metal shelf, and bistro set are all from IKEA
• Gray Wicker Furniture was a $60 Craigs List purchase that I spray painted. The original black paint was chipping and weathered. A few cans of spray paint later, they looked brand new.
• Striped Fabric - Fabric.com purchase and my mom found a local seamstress to sew everything for $25 (I created the runner myself using no-sew adhesive tape for the hemming)
• Brown & White pillows - target.com
• Blue and White cushions - Marshalls
• Carpet Tiles - Interface.com - They are commercial grade carpet tiles that I have moved around the house a number of times. I work in Commercial Architecture so I was able to get the "hook-up" for these tiles and they are indestructable especially with two 85 lb. dogs.
• Lighting - $15 pendants from IKEA my wonderful father installed for us.
• Accessories - IKEA